Method of and apparatus for forming polygonal brackets



July 13, 1954 E. w. LANGENBERG METHODOF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING POLYGONAL BRACKETS 6 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 25, 1950 nwil u La/m July 13, 1954 E, w LANGE-NBER@ 2,683,474

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING POLYGONAI.. BRACKETS Filed Feb. 25, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 ggz INVENTOR.'

ATTORNEYS.

July 13, 1954 E. w. LANGENBERG 2,683,474

METHOD O OLYGONAL BRACKETS July 13, 1954 E. w. LANGENBERG METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING POLYGONAL BRACKETS Filed Feb. 25, 1950 S Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.'

July 13, 1954 E. w. LANGENBERG 2,683,474

METHOD oF AND' APPARATUS FOR FORMING PoLyGoNAL BRAcKETs Filed Feb. 25, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet' 5 Il h IN V EN TORI ATTORNEYS.

July 13, 1954 E. w. LANGENBERG 2,683,474

METHOD oF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING PoLYGoNALBRAcxETs Filed Feb. 25, 195o s sheets-sheet e @la l IN VEN TOR.'

ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 13, 1954 TENT OFFICE METHOD IOF AND.APPARATUS FOR FORM- ING POLYGONAL BRACKETS EarlW. Langenberg,;Peoria, 111.., assignor to Keystone Steel & Wiref Company, Peoria, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application-February 25, 1950, Serial No. 146,215

14 Claims.

This invention relates tovmethod of'and apparatus for forming polygonal brackets and more particularly tol theforming of closed welded brackets from a continuous length of vvirei Forv a great many different types of uses it is desirable to providepolygonal brackets of Wire and to form such'brackets rapidly and economically. As one example, rectangular brackets of this type are employed in flood control work' for nite length, of Wire and are successively cut oir fromthe Wire. According to one feature of the invention, the brackets are Welded into closed polygonal loops, before. being cut from' the Wire.

Another object is to provide a,` method and apparatus inr WhichA the loops are lap Weldedand are initially coiled into a shape havingone side slightly longer` than the desired finished. shape.' to provide stock for lapping. In the preferredarrangementr the Wire. is Wound. on spaced. pins. or

projectionsmne of.. Which` liesA beyond the` outline of the desired finished shape. andwhichisshorter than4 the other pins to release thewiresothat it can be pushed in tothe desired shape by. arcani.

Still another object is to provide a, method. and apparatus in whichv completed. bracketsfarecut from a coil ofy wire.and-the-newly-^cut endis held against andwelded, to the next adjacent turn of the coilto-form a new bracket. 'he'cutter knife preferablyy pushesthe cu-t end and the adjacent turn. away from the remainder of the coilI to a Weldingposition at which. they are welded to.- gether.

A fur-ther object. is to prov-idea method and apparatus in which welding-felectrodes-engage the wire to Weld'it and are held yieldingly'against the Wire during the-Welding operation. In one desirableV construction the Welding electrodes are moved: into-engagement with thevvwirebyy a cam which is urgedtoward1 the electrodes bya' fluid motor to maintain ayielding forceon the. elecr trodes during Welding.

A still further Objectis tov prov-ide' a. method and apparatus inWhic-h the Wire is Wound-around projections. or pins and is pressed. against-f. the

projections by formers toproducel relativelyrsharp bends. According to one important feature of the invention the formers move out of the plane of the projections when remote therefrom to avoid interference with the Wire during winding.

A specific object of the invention is to provide a machine for automatically forming polygonal brackets in a continuous operation.

'The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent when read in connection With the, accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure l is a front elevation ofa machine embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation;

Figure 3 is` an elevational View of a completed loop;

Figure 4 is an edgey View of the loop;

' Figures 5,- 6, 7 and 8 are partial diagrammatic views illustrating the coils ofthe Wire at different stages in the operation;

Figures 9, 10, 11 andr12 arepartial side elevations illustrating progressive steps in the cutting and welding operations;

Figures '13 and 14 are partial elevations showing different positions of the formers;

Figures 15- and 16 are sections on the lines |5-7!5 of Figure 13 and Iii-i6 of Figure 14, respectively;

Figure l'is a top plan View of thewelding electrode construction andmounting;l and Figure 18 is a side elevation.

The invention, as illustrated, is particularly. intendedfor. the formation of rectangular4 brackets of the type shown in Figures 3 and 4. Such brackets comprise a length of Wire Hi formedinto a` rectangle With relatively sharp bends at its corners and with the ends of the Wire overlapping and4A Welded together as shown at Il' at one side of` the rectangle. The illustratedv machine for Vforming these brackets comprises essentially a frame, a rotating head, coil Winding and shaping means, formers for shaping the coil around the Winding projections, cut off means and Welding means. These several elements are described in detail hereinafter.

The frame The frame, as shown, comprises a base l2 to be supported on a floor and having an upright front. plate I3. The plate may be connected. to the base and braced byA webs it and carries a horizontal stub shaft I5; The shaft l5 is preferably hollow. so that electrical connections, fluid pressure connections. and conduits for circulating cooling liquid to the welding electrodes may be conducted therethrough.

The base carries a main driving motor I which is connected through a gear reducer i1 to drive a main driving pinion it? projecting in front of the upright base plate i3. The base also carries various cams and the like to be described more fully hereinafter.

The 'rotating head,

The base supports a rotating head having a flat front plate I9 which, as best seen in Figure 1, may have projections 2| at its ends to support forming pins 22, Z3, 24 and 25 which are spaced a distance equal to the lengths of the sides in the rectangular bracket. The head carries a driving gear 2t meshing with the pinion i8 to turn the head about the xed stub shaft l5. The head also carries on its back surface supporting brackets for the cutting, welding and forming mechanism to be described hereinafter.

The coil winding and shaping means The pins 22 to 25 serve as winding projections upon which wire is wound into a coil to form the rectangular brackets. The wire is supplied from a suitable supply coil or reel through a straightening and tensioning device indicated at 21 which includes a series of rolls 28 lying in a horizontal plane to engage the wire on opposite sides and a second series of rolls 29 lying in a vertical plane to engage the wire on opposite sides. This construction removes any kinks from the wire so that the wireis fed into the machine in a straight condition and furthermore provides a desired degree of tension on the wire so that it will be wound tightly about the pins.

The pins 23, 24 and 25 lie within the outline of the desired finished rectangular shape, but the pin 22 lies slightly beyond this outline to provide additional stock for lap welding. As shown in Figure 1, and as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3, the pin 22 lies parallel to but slightly beyond the adjacent long side of the rectangle so that when the wire is initially wound about the pins, the portion thereof which loops over the pin 22 will lie outside of the desired nished shape. Additionally, the pin 22 is made slightly shorter than the other pins so that it will hold only twoturns of wires; whereas, the other pins 23, 24 and 25 are made of sufficient length to hold three turns of Wire.

The frame carries an elongated cam 3l lying adjacent to the periphery of the rotating head and spaced outward from the head a suilicient distance to engage the corner of a turn of the wire which has just been released from the pin 22. The cam 3| includes an initial portion 32 lying radially outward slightly beyond the pin 22 to pick up the corner of a turn of the wire which has been released from the pin 22. The cam surface progressively moves radially inward until it reaches a radial distance equal to the radial spacing of the pins 23, 24 and 25 so that it will move the released turn of wire inward toward the pin 23 until the corner portion thereof lies on the desired finished rectangular outline. At this time the wire is in a position for cutting and welding to form a completed loop.

The farmers In order to form the wire sharply around the pins so that the completed bracket will have relatively sharp square corners, formers are provided to engage the Wire while it is drawn over the pins and to bend it sharply around the pins.

These formers are best shown in Figures 1 and 13 to 16 as comprising plates or strips 33 mounted on the back of the head plate i9 for radial sliding and swinging movement toward and away from the plane of the head plate. Each of the plates 33 has a reversely bent head portion 35 terminating in inwardly extending spaced ngers 35 spaced apart far enough to straddle opposite sides of one of the forming pins. It will be understood that there is a similar former for each of the pins 22 to 25 and that all of the formers function in the same manner.

The farmers normally occupy a retracted or inoperative position as shown in Figures 13 and 15 in which they are urged radially away from the head plate. At this time it is desirable to swing the formers back relative to the plane of the head plate so that they will not interfere with winding of the wire on the forming pins. For this purpose the head plate carries a U-shaped strap 31 spanning and guiding each of the formers and having on its radial inner and outer edges angular cam surfaces 33 and 39. The plate 33 carries a cam projection 4| having a surface complementary to the cam surface 33 and further has an angular projection 42 formed with an angular cam surface 43 Complementary to the surface 39 and with an extending finger 44 overlying the bracket 31. When the formers are in their radially outer position as illustrated in Figures 13 and 15, the cam surfaces on the bracket 31 and the extension 42 engage each other to swing the former back out of the plane of the forming pins so that it is out of the way of the wire being fed into the pins. When the formers are moved inward t0 their forming or crimping position, as shown in Figures 14 and 16, the cam surface 38 will cooperate with the cam surface on the projection 4I to shift the former forward so that its ngers 36 will lie in the plane of the pins. As the formers move inward the lingers 33 will engage the wire at opposite sides of the adjacent forming pin to bend it sharply around the pin so that a sharp angular bend is provided.

The formers are normally urged outward and are adapted to be moved inward in timed relation to the rotation of the head by a stationary cam projection 45 carried by the frame. As shown, the frame is formed with an annular cam track 46 projecting forward from the frame plate i3 and having a single cam projection 45 at one point in its periphery.

Each of the former plates 33 is pivotally connected at one end to a lever 41 which is pivoted intermediate its ends to the head plate I9 on the back surface thereof. As shown in Figures 15 and 16, each lever 41 carries at its outer end a pin 48 tting loosely into an opening in the adjacent former so that the former-s can tilt. The pins 48 together with the brackets 31 guide the formers for radial movement. The levers are engaged by springs 49 urging them in a direction to move the formers outward so that the formers normally occupy an inoperative or radially outward position until the corresponding levers engage the cam projection 45 to move them inward.

As the head rotates, the outer ends of the levers 41 or cam follower rollers carried thereby will successively ride up on the cam projection 45 at a time when the wire is stretched over the corresponding forming pin. At this time the formers Will be moved inward so that their fingers 35 will engage the wire and crimp it tightly around the forming pins to produce relatively sharp angular bends. it will be noted that the Wire is maintained under tension during this op- The cut' of?" 'means In order to cut off a: formedV bracket from the. wire coil, av cut off mechanism is provided,

asbest shown in Figures 1 and19 tclZ. Thisf mechanismcomprises a. stationary knifev 5l mounted on the front ofl the head-plate le ina position to engage theA wire approximately midway between the pins 22.and. 23. Itis important thatthe-'short offset. pin 22- trailk the cut off and welding meansrelative to Vthe direction of.- the rotation of thejhead as will appear moreA fully hereinafter. As bestlseen` inA Figures 9v to- 12, the knife 5l lisscarfed atits-upperend to Apresent ak relativelyA narrow cutting surface and. is positioned to engage the third-turner the coil counting outward from the head plate.

The stationary knife 5| -cooperateswith a movable knife 52 carried byl an. arm 53.y pivotally mounted on the back-of the headl plate and extending through an opening. in the plate.. The arm 53 is normally, urged upwardto the position shownin Figure 9. byV a spring orby. a iluid motor andis adapted .to be moved down by anelcngated cam 54.v xedly. mountedontheframe plate I3. The arm 53 carries a roller 55 toengage the cam 54, and as .seenin Figure 1, .this roller willinitially engage the cam-when the arm lies in approximately, the sevenoclockV position. As the head'conti-nues to turn.the arm 53. will be swung down to its cutting position shown in Figure, 10 and willcut the third turn ofthewire. at approxiniatelyy the nine. oclock position; Upon further turningoilthe headthe arm53 will vbe swung further downwardgas shownfin Figurell,vk

to carry the newly cut end.- ofthe. wire. and'the next adjacent turn radially inward vfrom the normal position of.' the coilto a weldingposition.

.It will Ibe noted, in this connection thatthemovable knife 52`v is wide. enough to engage two turns of the wire so that they will simult'aneously` be moved. This action will occur atapproximatel'y the ten oclock position asseen in Figure. 1,and upon further rotationy ofthe head,.the arm 5.3 will be released by the cam to swing back to its initial inoperative position.- It will-be noted' that the-pivot for the arm 'is mounted an appreciable distance back of the headplate so. that' when the arm swings outward'itwill also swing. back.- ward away fromY the plane of the. forming. pins so that it will not interfere with winding. Qf' the wire on the pins,

The welclrrigfmeans After the wire is cut by thecut oil means' as described above, the newly cut' end islweldedfto the next adjacent turn ofthe coil to -form acomplete bracket. This operation occurs when-'the end'of the wire' andthe turn next adjacent thereto are pressed' away from therema-indr oi-y the coil to the'position shownf-inFigure 1l.

For this purposea pairof welding electrodes are provided; one of which, as shown at' 5'6"; is carried by a holder 51' rigidly secure'ditolthe rotating head" plate with the electrode' extending through a central opening in the hea-d' plate. Thesecond electrode 58 is carried' b'yfa swinging arm 59`pivoted to the holder- E'I'atv E'l'so-tliatA the electrode 58A can swing toward and awayI from the electrode 5G to-grip the wire-betweenthem. Preferably-thetelectrodes arevformedwith grooves place.

in their;y faces to receive the wiresI to-hcld.;them Securely in position against slippage.

The electrode supporting' arm 59-1ismoved by aface cam 62,-' as bestseenin Figure 2. As shown, afsuppcrting plate l?) is rigidly mounted on the stub shaft I5', and the: camv62 is pivoted to the plate (i3 on-a hinge 64. The hinge is opposite the low portion of' the cam and the edge-ofthe cam plate opposite the highportion of the* cam is yieldingly urged toward 'the electrodes to maintain yielding pressure thereon duringv welding. Asshown, the plate 63 carries a cylinder 65 to which air under pressure isA admitted through a pipe 65 extending through the hollow shaft I5. A: piston 6'! in the cylinder is connectedto the cam plate 62 to urge it toward the electrodesV with ayielding substantially constant force..`

The cam 62 is lengaged by a roller 68 .carried by one end of aAbell crank lever 69 which is pivvoted intermediate its ends. on brackets 'H- extending outward fromthe head plate. A link 12 connects-the-other end of: the bell crank lever to the pivoted arm59 `so that when the bell ,crank is' swung clockwise it will move the arm counterclockwise to move the electrode 58 toward the electrode 56; This action occurs when the-roller 68v ridesv up on the high` part of the camxGZ in approximately the eleven ozclockpositi'on of the weldingelectrodes and cutter; as seen` in Figure 1.

The levern 59 carries'y a iingerl 'I3 which' is"V insulated fromxthe lever and which moves in aboye the'. two wires lying` between.. the electrodes. as seen'in Figures 11v and"12to.holdithe.wires in TheA cams 52.r and 54v arer so: constructed relativeto each other thatthecuttingrknife 52 will beheld down: until after the'nger 1:3 has moved in over the wires and willthen.y be released to return toits upper position, as seen in Figure 12. At-.thisr timethe wires will be: held by the. nger 13 and the gripping action of the electrodesl so that they will-.be properly we1ded together. Welding current is supplied to..v the electrodes by 'a transformerl '14" under. the control of a switch, notfshow-n, which maybe closed by movement of `thearm'i so, that welding current willbe' suppliedV toA the-.electrodes after they have engaged the. wire.. During the welding operation the uid motor 65 maintains welding pressureon the electrodes so thatv the cut'end of" the wire will be properly and securely welded to the next adj-acentf turn'.

Inoperation a wire is'woundv about. the pins 22fto" lasfthe'whead` turns into; a generally'rectangular coil, one corner of which lying against the fpin 22 extendsbe-yond therdesired rectangular outline; The'outer end ofthe wire isi-welded to the'next adjacent vturn at a point corresponding, to the position of the welding electrodes, and at thistimewiththe wire fullyloaded'y on the pins its condition looking toward thepins 22 and 23 from the outside ofv the loop. appears as infFigure 5'. It. will be noted that the outermost* run of wire terminating inthe welded end is'ipushedinward Arela-tive toY the remaining turns andrelative tothe position ofthe pin 22 soythat a. complete accurately rectangular loopl is formed by the outer turn of the' coil. As thenew wire is` picked' up bythe pins it. lies against the pins closely.adjacent tothe rotary headu plate Wand will. push the third turn from the pin 22, as shown in Figure 5. The wires on pin 22. arefapf- .proximately in this condition, when the; former moves inward to crimp them about the pin 22, and the other pins will each hold three turns of wire at their respective crimping position. It will be noted that al1 turns on the pins except the innermost turn have previous-ly been crimped or formed about the pins so that the former actually operates only on the innermost turn to form it. The wire will be in the condition shown in Figure 5 when the cutting and welding means are approximately in the nine oclock position.

As the head continues to turn, the third loop r turn of the wire which has just been released from the pin 22 will engage the cam 32 and will move on to the cam 3l so that its corner portion will be shifted inward into a true rectangular relationship with the remaining corners of the loop, as shown in Figure 6. It will be observed that at this time the outermost completed loop and the third turn of the wire are shifted to the right, as seen in Figure 6, an amount equal to the overlap at the ends of a completed bracket.

The wires remain in this condition to the cutting position at which the movable knife, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 6, moves down and cuts the third turn of the wire just to the left of the previously completed weld. This cuts oli the outermost complete rectangular bracket which can then be removed from the machine. As the knife 5! travels further down, it moves the newly cut 01T end and the next adjacent or second turn of the wire between the welding electrodes, as seen in Figure '7, where the turns of wire are held by the linger '13 and the pressure of the electrodes. At this time a new weld is completed between the newly cut end portion of the wire and the second turn, and the welding electrodes are opened as the roller Et travels back on to the low part of the `cam 52 to release the wire. At this time with the welding electrodes in substantially the six oclock position, as seen in Figure l, the wire is in the condition shown in Figure 8 with the pin 22 ready to receive the next turn of wire.

It will be seen that with the machine, as shown, a bracket is completed on each revolution of the head and that the operation is continuous and automatic. Even with relatively large brackets of relatively7 heavy wire, it has been found that at least twenty brackets per minute can be formed accurately and automatically on a machine of this type.

While the present invention has been particularly described in connection with rectangular brackets, it will be apparent that brackets of any other desired shape might equally well be formed and that various changes in the machine and method might be made without departing from the invention. It will, therefore, be understood that the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated and described is not to be taken as a definition of the scope of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. The method of continuously forming polygonal brackets of wire which comprises continuously bending an indeiinite length of wire into a figure having straight sides joined by sharp bends and all sides but one in which the end of the wire falls of the desired finished length with said one side longer than the desired finished length 'and with the end of the wire adjacent to a succeeding tv rn, shifting the end of the wire inward an amount equal to the desired overlap in a finished bracket, welding the end portion of the wire to the succeeding turn, and cutting the succeeding turn adjacent to the weld to release a completed bracket.

2. The method of continuously forming polygonal brackets of wire which comprises continuously forming an indefinite length of wire into a multiple turn coil having straight sides joined by sharp bends and all sides but one of the desired inished length and said one side longer than the desired nished length, forming the outer turn of the coil to the desired iinished shape and lap welding the outer two turns of wire together at said one side of the coil, forcing the second turn of the coil inward at said one side an amount equal to the desired lap, cutting off the second turn of the coil back of the weld to release the outer welded turn, and welding the free end portion of the wire to the next adjacent turn.

3. Apparatus for forming polygonal wire brackets comprising a frame, a head rotatable relative to the frame means to rotate the head, projections xed to and extending from the head on which a wire is 'adapted to be wound in a coil with the end of the coil lying between adjacent projections, one of the projections immediately trailing the end of the wire being shorter than the other projections whereby the outer turn of the coil will be released therefrom while remaining on the other projections, xed cam means mounted adjacent to the head and engageable with the wire to force the released run of the wire inward, welding means carried by the head to weld the released run of the wire to the next adjacent turn and control means operated by rotation of the head to control the operation of the welding means.

4. Apparatus for forming polygonal wire brackets comprising a frame, a head rotatable relative to the frame means to rotate the head, projections xed to and extending from the head on which a wire is adapted to be wound in a coil with the end of the coil lying between adjacent projections, all of the projections except one lying in the outline of the desired polygonal shape and said one projection lying beyond the outline and being shorter than the other projections and immediately trailing the end of the wire, iixed cam means mounted adjacent to the head and engageable with the wire to force a turn of the wire released from said one projection inward to conform to the desired polygonal shape, welding means carried by the head to weld the turn of wire so forced in to the next adjacent turn of the wire and control means operated by rotation of the head to control the operation of the welding means.

5. Apparatus for forming polygonal wire brackets comprising a frame, a head rotatable relative to the frame means to rotate the head, projections fixed to and extending from the head on which a wire is adapted to be wound in a coil with the end of the coil lying between adjacent projections, all of the projections except one lying in the outline of the desired polygonal shape and said one projection lying beyond the outline and being shorter than the other projections and immediately trailing the end of the wire, iixed cam means mounted adjacent to the head and engageable with the wire to force a turn of the Wire released from said one projection inward to conform to the desired polygonal shape, cutting means including relatively movable knives carried by the head on the head to cut o the turn of wire so forced in, means operated by rotation of the head to move the knives relatively toassent gether to cut Off the wire, weldingmeansinchiding electrodes carriedbythe head for movement relatively together and apart to Weld the 'newly cut end of the wire to the next adjacent turn and means operated by rotation of the head to control movement of the electrodes to effect a Iwelding operation. A

6. Apparatus for forming polygonal wire brackets comprising a frame, a head rotatable relative to the frame means to rotate theihcad, projections xed to and extending fiQm the head on which a wire is adapted to be wound in a coil with the end of thecoil lying between adjacent projections, allof thepml'ections .except one lying in the outline ofthe desired polygonal shape and said one projection IyiIigbeYOIldthe outline and being shorter than the other projec-A tions Aand immediately trailing the end of `the wire, xed cam means mounted adlacentto the headk and engaeeable with the wire to force a turn of. the ywire released from *Said* one pliec-y tion'inward to conformtoxthe desired polygonal Shane, a cutting Aknife xed on the head, a GiltFY ting knife onfthe head movable towardjthecoil and cooperating with the -ixed knifegto out off the turn of wire so forced in and to'force thenewly cut endA and the next adjacent turn away from the remainder of the coil, means operated` by r-V tation of the head to move the movable knife, Welding electrodes carried bythe head for Inovementiinto engagement with the newly out .end and the next adjacent turn tolweld themgtogether and means operated by rotation of the head to control movement ofthe electrodes to effect ra welding operation.

7. Apparatus for forming l polygonal ywire brackets comprising .a frame, a horizontal lfixed shaft on the frame, a head plate rotatable around the shaft, means to rotate the head plate spaced pins on the' outer face of the `'head-plate onwhich a wire is adapted to be wound infa coil, all of the pins but one lying in the outline ofa desired polygonal bracket shape and vsaid one pin lying beyond the desired shape and being shorterthan the others to release a turn of the' Wirewhch is retained on the other pins, a cam carried by the frame vto engage the releasedY turn of Vwire adjacent said one of the pins and' push itv inward to the desired shape; welding means carried' by the head to weld the released turn of` wire to the next adjaeentturn, anda cam carried lby the frame to operate the welding means after they released turn has been pushed inward.

v 8. Apparatus for forming polygonal wire brackets comprising a frame; ahorizontal ,fixed shaft on the frame, a head plate rotatablearound the shaft, means to rotate thehe'ad plate spaced pins on the outer face of the head plate on which a Wire is adapted to be wound in a coil, all of thepinsjbut onelying in the outline of a desired polygonal bracket shape and said vone pinl lying beyond the desired shape and being shorter than the others to release a turn of the Wire which is retained on the other pins, a cam carried by the frame to engage the released turn of Wire adjacent said one of the pins and push it in to the desired shape a fixed cut off knife on'the head, a cut off knife pivoted on the head and cooperating with the fixed knife to cut off the turn of Wire so pushed in, a` cam on the frame engaging the cut ofi knife to pivotV it, the knife carrying the newly cut end and the next adjacent turn radially inward of the normal Wire position, welding electrodes carried by the head and engageable with the cut end and the adjacent turn at said inward position, and. a cam carried by the shaft to move the electrodes to welding position.

.9. Apparatus for forming polygonal wire brackets Vcrfnnprising a frame, a horizontal ixed shaft on the frame, a head plate rotatable around the shaft, means to rotate the head platespaced pins on the outer tace of thehead plate on which a `wire is adapted to be wound in a coil, all ofthe pins but one lying in the outline of a deaired polygonal bracket shape and said one pin lyingubeyond the desired shape and being shorter than the others to release a turn of the wire which is retained on the other pins, formers movably .mounted on the head plate adjacent thepins land-movable radially inward toward the pins to engage the wire and formit tightly around thepins, cam means operated by rotation of thevhead plate to move the formers toward the pins, a ycam carried bythe frame to engage the bent ,corner of the wire released from said one of the pins and push it in to the desired iinished position a fixed lcut oi knife on the head,va out oil knife pivoted on the head plate and cooperating with the ixed knife tel out oil the turn of wire so pushed in, a cam on the frame engaging the `,cut off knifeuto move it about its pivot, the knife Vcarrying thenewly cut end and the Vnextadjacent turn lradially inward from their normal positions, welding electrodes engageable with the cutend and the adjacentturn at said inwardfposition to weld them, and a cam carriedl bythe shaft to move the electrodes into engagementwith the wire.

v l0. Apparatus for forming polygonal Wire brackets comprising a frame, ahead rotatable relativeto the frame, means to rotate the heard, projections fixed to and extending from the headon which 4a wire is adaptedto be Wound in a c oil with the end of theV coil lying between adjacent projections, the projection immediately trailing the end of the coil in the direction of rotation of the head being so constructed and arranged as to releasertheV outer turn of the coil while it is retained on the other projections, means 'relativeto which the head is rotatable and engageable with the turn of wire adjacent to the end ,ofv the coil to move it lengthwise to- Ward the end of the coil, means to move the end of the coil and the adjacent turn away from the remainder of thevcoil, welding electrodes carried by the head and movable relatively together into engagement with the end of thecoil and the adjacent turn to weld themv together, cutting means including relatively movable parts mounted on the headk to cut off the vadjacent turn justk back of the weld and cam controlimeans operated by rotation yof the head toVV control operation of the moving meansthe welding electrodes and the cutting means. v of l 11. Apparatus for formingl polygonal wire bracketscomprising a frame, a head rotatable relative to the frame, means to rotate the head, projections fixed to and extending from the head on which a Wire is adapted to be wound in a coil with the end of the coil lying between adjacent projections, the projection immediately trailing the end of the coil in the direction of rotation of the head being so constructed and arranged as to release the outer turn of the coil while it is retained on the other projections, means relative to which the head is rotatable and engageable with the turn of wire adjacent to the end of the coil to move it lengthwise toward the end of the coil, means operated by rotation of the head to move the end of the coil and the adjacent turn away from the remainder of the coil, a pair of welding electrodes one movable on the head and the other fixed on the head and engageable with the end of the coil and the adjacent turn to weld them together, a cam relative to which the head is rotatable and acting on said one of the electrodes to move it toward the other` to engage the wire, means for maintaining yielding pressure on the electrode during welding, cutting means including relatively movable parts mounted on the head to cut off the adjacent turn just back of the weld and cam means operated by rotation of the head to control operation of the cutting means.

12. Apparatus for forming polygonal wire brackets comprising a frame, a head rotatable relative to the frame, means to rotate the head, projections fixed to and extending from the head on whichl a wire is adapted to be wound in a coil with the end of the coil lying between adjacent projections, the projection immediately trailing the end of the coil in the direction of rotation of the head being so constructed and arranged as to release the outer turn of the coil while it is retained on the other projections, means relative to which the head is rotatable and engageable with the turn of wire adjacent to the end of the coil to move it lengthwise toward the end of the coil, means operated by rotation of the head to move the end of the coil and the adjacent turn away from the remainder of the coil, a pair of welding electrodes one movable on the head and the other xed on the head and engageable with the end of the coil and the adjacent turn to weld them together, a movably mounted cam for moving one of the electrodes toward the other, a fluid operated motor urging the cam toward the electrodes to maintain pressure on the electrodes during welding, cutting means including relatively movable parts mounted on the head to cut off the adjacent turn just back of the weld and cam means operated by rotation of the head to control operation of the cutting means. I

13. Apparatus for forming polygonal wire brackets comprising a frame, a head rotatable relative to the frame, means to rotate the head, projections iixed to and extending from the head on which a wire is adapted to be wound in a coil with the end of the coil lying between adjacent projections, the projection immediately following the end of the coil being shorter than the others to release the second turn adjacent to the end of the coil before it is released by the others, means relative to which the head is rotatable to advance the second turn lengthwise toward the end of the coil, a fixed cutting knife on the head, a cutting knife on the head movable tcward the coil and cooperating with the fixed knife to out the second turn adjacent to the end of the coil and to force the newly cut end and the next adjacent turn away from th remainder of the coil, welding electrodes mounted on the head and movable into engagement with the newly cut end and the next adjacent turn to weld them together and cam control means operated by rotation of the head to control movement of the movable cutting knife and the electrodes.

14. Apparatus for forming polygonal wire brackets comprising a frame, a head rotatable relative to the frame, means to rotate the head, projections xed to and extending from the head on which a wire is adapted to be wound in a coil with the end of the coil lying between adjacent projections, the projection immediately following the end of the coil being shorter than the others to release the second turn adjacent to the end of the coil before it is released by the others, means relative to which the head is rotatable to advance the second turn lengthwise toward the end of the coil, a fixed cutting knife on the head, a cutting knife on the head movable toward the coil and cooperating with the fixed knife to cut the second turn adjacent to the end of the coil and to force the newly cut end and the next adjacent turn away from the remainder of the coil, a pair of welding elec trodes mounted on the head to engage the cut end and next adjacent turn in their moved position, means mounting one of the electrodes for movement toward and away from the other, said other electrode being fixed on the head, a finger carried by said one electrode to engage the wire and hold it in the moved position, and cam means operated by rotation of the head to move the cutting knife and to move said one of the electrodes in timed relation with the cutting knife.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 654,225 Carnagy July 24, 1900 705,130 Perry July 22, 1902 937,328 Pomeroy Oct. 19, 1909 937,134 Wouters Oct. 19, 1909 1,429,814 Weiss Sept. 19, 1922 1,457,691v Bull June 5, 1923 1,637,121 Lovejoy July 26, 1927 1,715,046 Rogan May 28, 1929 1,756,427 Gunter Apr. 29, 1930 1,896,670 Garst Feb. 7, 1933 1,964,445 Wikle June 26, 1934 1,987,334 Geer Jan. 8, 1935 2,049,587 Lehman Aug. 4, 1936 2,117,262 Trussell May 10, 1938 2,225,187 Stitt Dec. 17, 1940 2,422,827 Drieschman June 24, 1947 2,441,228 Schneider May 11, 1948 2,451,169 May Oct. 12, 1948 2,455,549 Benjamin Dec. 7, 1948 

